Ilhan Omar says leader of Somalia is "our president"

Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) delivered a speech in her native Somali language at a Minneapolis hotel that sparked significant controversy and claims that she referred to Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as "our president."

While she did use the phrase "standing with our president" and "congratulate Somalis in Minnesota... for standing with our president," independent translations clarified that she was addressing a specific Somali American audience regarding their shared ethnic interests and support for the unity of Somalia.

Omar later stated that the clips circulating online were based on "completely off" and "slanted" translations intended to question her loyalty to the United States. The controversy has remained a point of political friction throughout 2025, with Donald Trump and other Republican leaders repeatedly citing the 2024 speech as evidence of dual loyalty or "treason."

In late 2025, President Trump labeled Omar "garbage" and suggested she should "go back" to Somalia, citing her continued focus on Somali interests. Omar has consistently defended her remarks, arguing that her advocacy for a unified Somalia aligns with official U.S. foreign policy and that her primary commitment remains to her constituents in Minnesota. Critics have used the phrase "our president" and other translated remarks, such as "Somalia is for Somalis only," to argue that she prioritizes her birth country over her elected duties in the U.S..

Conversely, Omar and several news organizations have pointed out that her speech was primarily focused on a controversial port deal between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland, which the U.S. government also opposes. She maintains that she was encouraging Somali Americans to use their voices as U.S. taxpayers to influence American foreign policy in favor of Somali territorial integrity.